Flyers Couturier, Schenn just happy to be skating as Phantoms fall

By ROB PARENT

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

VOORHEES, N.J. -- The news from the labor front in New York was as bleak as the weather in South Jersey, but proud hockey union members Sean Couturier, Brayden Schenn and Zac Rinaldo were too busy to notice. They had an almost real and somewhat surreal hockey game to lose.

Despite some very favorable refereeing that gave Couturier almost as much power-play time in one minor league practice game as he was entrusted with as an NHL rookie, his Adirondack Phantoms lost, 5-3, to the Albany Devils Tuesday in the friendly confines of the Skate Zone.

Considering the atmosphere, it could have been just a regular Flyers practice day for these guys ... except there were no other Flyers allowed to be here.

Talks in New York between bargaining sides of the NHL labor war met and departed Tuesday before they could get comfortable in their seats. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly later characterized it in two words: "No progress."

No further talks are scheduled, but there are rumors about a resumption in Toronto. ... You know, sometime.

By then, Couturier and Schenn will have to get their labor news while riding a minor league bus. Probably better off.

"We can come down here and play lots of minutes and work on different things and maybe in different situations that (we) wouldn't be playing in the NHL," Schenn said. "So I'm not saying it's fun being locked out, but it is a chance to play some more. When you're here, I guess, you can take your mind off it or whatnot. But yeah, you definitely follow (labor news). I'm part of the union, guys are united and looking for a fair deal. Whenever it happens, it happens."

Until then, they'll try to enjoy days like this ... when an announced 400 (but probably more) abandoned hockey fans decide a free AHL exhibition game in the practice rink is well worth blowing an afternoon on.

"That's Flyers fans for you," Schenn said. "They're passionate. Whether it's the Flyers or the Phantoms, people like to watch hockey here and it's important."

That doesn't mean they have to like what they're seeing, however. Such as 6-7 alleged Flyers goalie of the future Niko Hovinen giving up all five goals, three of them on the first seven shots.

"I think he was probably a little jittery," Phantoms coach Terry Murray said. "Coming into his first game in North America, seeing different kinds of shots coming from these players; it's a smaller building ... I'm sure there were a couple of goals he'd like to have back. Next time he plays he's going to be a lot better able to handle those situations."

It's not like Hovinen didn't have help. You know, if not from his defense, then at least from the one ref on the ice. That was veteran AHL pinstriper Terry Koharski finding it in his heart to hand the home team repeated opportunities -- the Phantoms had three two-man advantages among nine power-play chances, the Devils had three power-play chances -- though he couldn't find a way to help them avoid disappointing the fans.

Then again, neither could those alleged negotiators up in New York.

Bottom line: Couturier and Schenn, along with four other entry-level contract players here who would have likely started the season with the Flyers, should get used to working with the Phantoms.

This team obviously needs plenty of work to turn into a Calder Cup contender. And those talented would-be Flyers should have plenty of time to offer their services.

"It's different," Couturier said. "I was pretty nervous before the game. I didn't know what to expect. I'm just happy to play hockey. It should be a strong league this year and fun to watch. But at the same time, hopefully, the lockout ends and everybody can be happy."